Cleaning applicator



June 6, 1939. J. H. STROOP CLEANING APPLICATOR Filed Nov. 5, 1956 INVENTOR. 09m $8. 5W0

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT OFFICE CLEANING APPLIOATOR John H. Stroop, New York, N. Y., assignor of onehalf to Russell B. Kingman, Orange, N. J.

Application November 3, 1936, Serial No. 108,982

Claims.

This invention pertains in general to applicators and specifically relates to such a device for cleaning purposes.

The principal object of the present invention consists in providing a unit for effecting the dry cleaning of surfaces, such as windows and the like. In accordance with the invention, an applicator is provided which contains a cleaning agent usable for cleaning surfaces without recourse to moistening operations on the part of the user.

A further object of the invention comprises providing a dispensing unit and applicator for abrasive substances and the like which may be used in a dry cleaning and polishing operation.

A still further object of the invention consists in providing a cleaning applicator and cleaning compound therefor incorporating means for maintaining the cleaning compound in a substantially non-sifting coalesced mass within the applicator structure when the latter isnot in use, but subject to sifting exudation through a wall of the applicator when the latter is manipulated in a cleaning operation.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of one embodiment of the cleaning applicator of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of such an applicator taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates a bridging action obtained in the coalescence of the cleaning compound used in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a representation of an enlarged view of a portion of the applicator showing its function in the operation of cleaning a surface.

Referring to the drawing in detail, an applicator structure comprises a compressible container composed of two walls of fabric I and 2, held together by stitching 3 along the marginal edges thereof. This structure may be of various sizes, but in the present embodiment is of a size suitable for hand use and includes a strap in the form of a strip of fabric 4 extending across the wall of fabric 2 and stitched thereto at both ends of the strip 4, as shown. This strap permits the hand to be inserted between the wall 2 and the strip of fabric 4, in a cleaning operation.

In accordance with the invention, the fabric comprising the wall 2 isof fine weave, substantially impervious to the contained cleaning agent provided within the applicator structure. When desired, this wall may be treated to make it thoroughly resistive to the exudation therethrough of any of the cleaning agent. The fabric wall I is of a porous weave having openings therein which, by way of example, may be 64 of an inch in diameter.

As will be seen in Fig. 2, the walls I and 2 form the container, one wall being porous. Within this container there is provided a quantity of a 10 cleaning agent which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is finely divided pumice. For example, the pumice is of a fineness such that it would normally sift through the pores of the fabric of wall I. According to the invention, 15 this pumice is thoroughly mixed with a nonvolatile or hygroscopic material. In the present embodiment, about one pound of pumice is mixed with 11 /2 fiuid ounces of saturated solution of glycerine. When thoroughly mixed, this com- 20 pound produces a coalesced mass of the cleaning agent within the applicator structure as represented by the material 5 in Fig. 2; the glycerine serving as a binding agent to cause coalescence of the pumice powder particles when in a quies- 25 cent state.

Such cleaning compound within the container applicator exhibits a bridging action as represented in Fig. 3. Threads 6 of the fabric of the wall I define pores I through which the material 30 5 would normally sift. However, due to the included binding agent, this material, when quiescent, bridges the pores 1 between the threads 6, and consequently will not normally exude or sift therethrough except upon the application of a given compressive force to the container operative to break the coalescing effect of the binding agent upon the powdered abrasive. For example, in Fig. 4 the container applicator is shown as applied against a surface to be cleaned, such as a window pane 8. Pressure applied in the direction of the arrow 9 to the back of the applicator pad causes the normally coalesced material 5 to break and siftingly exude through the pores of the fabric I in just sufficient quantity to produce an abrasive cutting action when the applicator structure is moved over the surface of the pane 8. Thus, the movement of the pad over the surface to be cleaned cuts any residual dirt thereon, while the surface of the fabric wall I acts as a polisher. When the pad is removed from the surface to be cleaned and laid aside, so that the content becomes quiescent, the binding agent again functions to coalesce the abrasive powder so that the same bridging action as before occurs and prevents the resultant coalesced mass from sifting out. When again desired for use, this temporarily coalesced mass of cleaning agent within the applicator may be kneaded and loosened in the container by suitable manipulation of the fabric walls thereof by the fingers of the operator.

It will be recognized that various forms of pulverant abrasive ingredients can be used within the container applicator and that such ingredients may be mixed with various binding agents such as non-volatile oils or other hygroscopic material, to produce the coalescing action and resultant bridging effect indicated. It will also be recognized that various equivalent forms of applicator structure with porous exudation walls can be produced without departing from the intended scope of the invention. Therefore, no limitation is intended other than as imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and original and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A dry cleaning pad for cleaning surfaces without moistening and without smearing comprising, a bag having a porous wall, a content of abrasive powder enclosed within said bag, said powder being of a fineness adapted to sift through the pores of said bag wall, and a binding agent interspersed through said ablrasive powder which is adapted to cohere the powder particles in a. coalesced mass when quiescent, whereby the powder is caused to bridge the pores of said bag wall so as to be retained against sifting therethrough, said binding agent being non-resistant to pressure when the pad is peratively manipulated whereby the powder particles are freed by pressure for sifting exudation through the pores of said bag wall.

2. In a dry cleaning pad as defined in claim 1, wherein the binding agent consists in a hygroscopic substance of a kind inert to the material of the bag.

3. In a dry cleaning pad as defined in claim 1, wherein the binding agent consists in a nonvolatile substance of a kind inert to the material of the bag.

4. In a dry cleaning pad as defined in claim 1, wherein the abrasive powder consists in finely divided pumice, and the binding agent consists in glycerine.

5. In a dry cleaning pad as defined in claim 1, wherein the abrasive powder consists in finely divided pumice, and the binding agent is glycerine in a proportional mixture in the ratio of approximately one and one-half fluid ounces of glycerine to one pound of pumice.

JOHN H. STROOP. 

